Kathmandu, August 5:

Flaunting their skills and stamina at the Nepal Open Senior Veterans’ Tennis Tournament finals, Manoj Rana and Krishna Ghale won the berths to play in the Asian Veterans’ Tennis Tournament to be held in Bangkok next month. In the above 45 section final between Manoj Rana and Kamal Thapa, power won over tactics. The 47-year-old Rana, playing a usual power game, broke two services and took the first set 6-2. But equally spirited Thapa, who used more of tactics than power, hit an ace and levelled the sets at 1-1 by winning the hard-fought second set 7-5. The winner was to be decided through a super tie-breaker and Rana overpowered Thapa 10-5. The match was their eighth final with 50-year-old Thapa having 4-3 edge over Rana, but the day’s loss equalled the number between the two veterans. Rana has been playing tennis for the last 25 years while Thapa got the racquet just seven years ago.

In the above 35 section final, Subarna Dhakwa came from behind to beat Chandra Shahi 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. It was clear throughout the match that Ghale dominated Shahi with his stamina. Shahi looked strong to combat Ghale’s powerful shots in the beginning but gradually got numb and lost the match. Manoj Rana had finished second in the Asian Veterans’ Championship in 2003, while Dhakwa represented Nepal in the same event last year. Krishna Ghale will be playing at the Asian championship in the above 35 section for the straight second year. Rana and Ghale got Kathmandu-Bangkok-Kathmandu air ticket each, sponsored by Air Nepal, while Thapa and Shahi received Cosmic Air sponsored Kathmandu-Delhi-Kathmandu air ticket each.